Yesterday’s Federal Reserve meeting resulted as a nonevent for financial markets as the 25bp rate increase to the 5.00%-5.25% target range was 100% priced in. Also, the removal of an explicit reference in the press release of further interest rate increases in the coming meetings was consistent with the expectation of a pause in the hiking cycle.
Resultats de la cerca
Investors' risk appetite rebounded slightly last week, a trend that largely continued into Friday's session. In the eurozone, government bond yields rose slightly, even though ECB's Holzmann, who had been advocating for a pause in rate cuts, acknowledged the disinflationary impact of tariffs and said the ECB's next rate decisions were "completely open".
Another session with mixed results across financial markets. The key themes were signs that inflationary pressures are abating coupled with data suggesting an economic slowdown. In the UK, the BoE raised policy rates by 25 pb to 4.5%, in line with expectations, while signalling that additional rate hikes are likely.
Markets traded cautiously yesterday, ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy rate decision today. US Treasury yields were almost flat, as markets expect Fed's policy rate to stay at its current level. On the other side of the Atlantic, euro area sovereign yields were flat, as the German Bundestag approved a fiscal package to boost defence spending, as expected.
The risk-on mood triggered by trade negotiations continued to support markets but lost some steam in yesterday's session. Sovereign yields rose on the back of a hawkish reading of the ECB's meeting, while euro area and U.S. stocks posted moderate gains with a mixed sectorial performance (European banks rallied on favorable earnings and higher rates).
In the first session of the week, investors traded cautiously ahead of today's key inflation data release in the US and the upcoming central bank meetings in the US (where we expect the Fed to pause its aggressive rate hike cycle) and the euro area (where the ECB will most likely hike rates by 0.25pp).
Global stocks rebounded and sovereign yields continued to decline as investors cemented their expectations for rate cuts ahead of the Fed's next week meeting. The USD weakened moderately across other major currencies and gold prices continued to surge.
Vivim cada cop més anys i amb millor salut, una excel·lent notícia per a tots. Però aquesta longevitat, combinada amb una natalitat persistentment baixa, reconfigura l’estructura demogràfica de les nostres societats. En el nostre últim Dossier, analitzem aquest canvi demogràfic important, així com el seu impacte en el creixement, en les finances públiques, i en l’estalvi i els tipus d’interès. També analitzem a fons altres temes d’actualitat, com ara l’ajust de l’estratègia i el marc operatiu de la política monetària del BCE, el pressupost 2025-2028 de la Unió Europea i la viabilitat que incrementi fins a un 5% del PIB la despesa en defensa. En l’àmbit de l’economia espanyola, exposem les causes de les sortides d’ocupació i l’evolució dels ingressos de la classe mitjana els darrers anys.
Amidst elevated geopolitical risks, investors traded cautiously ahead of the FOMC's meeting. The Fed left rates unchanged and still forecasts two rate cuts in 2025 (showing greater dispersion and a slightly hawkish bias than before) but signalling a slower pace of easing ahead. Powell warned that tariffs could push inflation for goods higher over the summer.
In yesterday's session, German bonds extended their decline, with the 10-year bund yield reaching 2.83%, and the euro appreciated against the dollar as the ECB cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 2.5%. President Christine Lagarde did not pre-commit to setting rates in any direction in the upcoming meetings, and warned of the uncertainty surrounding the effects of the trade war and increased defense spending.
The minutes of the Fed's June meeting showed that the decision to hold interest rates steady in June was not unanimous, and that most officials expected further rate hikes would be necessary, as the dot plot had shown. Also yesterday, US factory orders data for May came in below expectations, but still showed growth.
Investors digested the Fed's third rate hike of the year (see our detailed analysis of the meeting here) with moderate stock market gains, relatively unchanged sovereign yields, and a mixed behavior in FX markets, where the euro eased to $1.16 while some EM currencies appreciated (such as the Turkish lira the Brazilian real) and others weakened (such as Argentina's peso).
Yesterday, in the US the S&P 500 edged down after Wednesday's rally and registered moderate losses, while European stock markets registered broad-based and moderate gains.
The last stages of this cycle of monetary policy tightening centered the stage in yesterday’s session as the ECB hiked interest rates by 25bp (depo at 3.75% and refi at 4.25%). Nevertheless, Christine Lagarde said that this might not be the last hike and insisted that interest rates will remain high for a long period of time to break the back of inflation.
Markets ended Friday mixed as Fed guidance revived rate-cut bets, tempering weak sentiment in Asia and Europe. Comments from Fed Williams suggesting December interest rate cuts could align with inflation goals boosted markets' expectations for such event and drove US Treasury yields slightly down.
The Fed delivered a hawkish pause yesterday, leaving interest rates unchanged but acknowledging a strong US economy. The dot-plot projects a tighter policy through 2024 and 2025, consistent with rates higher for longer. US stock indices fell and US Treasury yields rose on the news, with the yield curve flattening, while the USD appreciated.
Yesterday investors traded cautiously as the threat of a possible US government shutdown by the end of the week and “high for longer” interest rates continue to lead the narrative. Investors were also at odds with Minneappolis Fed President Neel Kashkari’s dovish tone regarding interest rates path ahead.